Critical Thinking Questions

1. What qualities of children influence the way that other people act toward them, and how do these actions influence their development?
2. Individual differences show some stability over time. How do genes and environment contribute to this stability?
3. How would growing up in one developed society rather than another—for example, the United States rather than Japan—be expected to influence a child’s development?
4. How have the changes that have taken place in the United States over the past century influenced children’s development? Has the overall effect of the changes on children been predominantly beneficial or predominantly harmful?
5. What findings that you read about in this book surprised you the most? Were there any findings or conclusions that you just don’t believe?
6. What practical lessons have you learned from this course that will influence the way that you raise your children if you have them?